Pin Worms Characteristics

Pinworms, like other parasites, depend on a host to thrive and reproduce. Pinworms can enter the human body, through the mouth, and cause complications that range in severity. Pinworm eggs can easily cling to the underside of your fingernails when you touch something that another infected person has previously touched, and can be inadvertently ingested if you put your fingers in your mouth. Therefore, proper hand washing is essential as well as, not engaging in habits like nail biting.

What is a Pinworm?

• A pinworm is of the family Enterobius vermicularis, and is often referred to as a roundworm. According to the MayoClinic, pinworms enter the digestive tract, causing gastrointestinal upset that can range from mild to intense. The pinworms then travel to the intestines of the host, eventually settling in the colon and rectum.

What Does a Pinworm Look Like?

• KidsHealth.org explains that pinworms are quite small, comparable in size to an ordinary staple. Pinworms are slender and white in color, and the adults often reach a length of ten millimeters. Due to their small size, pinworms are nearly impossible to see with the human eye, rendering them virtually undetectable.

Pinworm Eggs

• The eggs of the pinworm are microscopic in size, and often deposited on the skin of the infected person as he sleeps. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that the female pinworm exits the anus of a sleeping individual; laying her eggs on the skin that is around the anal area. As a result, the skin can become very itchy and irritated.

Transmission

• Although pinworms are most commonly transmitted from hand to mouth, there is another way to become infected with pinworms. Because of their small size, pinworm eggs and the larva itself are both light enough to become airborne. Therefore, pinworms can be inhaled during the breathing process.

Treatment

• When pinworms are suspected, a physician will often perform what is known as a tape test. A clear adhesive tape is pressed against the skin of the anus and transferred to a slide afterwards for viewing under a microscope. A positive test requires immediate treatment to fend off any possibility that complications such as, inflammation of the bowel, colitis or ectopic enterobiasis occur. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reports, that the treatment of pinworms usually involves the administration of mebendazole and pyrantel pamoate. Even if other family members show no sign of a pinworm infection, everyone that lives within the home should take the medication.

Misconceptions

• Contrary to popular belief, pinworms are not spread from animals to people. In fact, pinworms are often confused with tapeworms, which are common to the animal kingdom. According to FamilyDoctor.org, pets are not to blame for the transmission of pinworms, but can be spread through contact with clothes and bedding. Pinworm eggs are viable for up to three weeks, so if they are attached to clothing or bedding that is has not been washed prior to use by, they can reattach to a new host.